Nigeria’s national team players will take center stage in the FA Cup quarter-finals as Ola Aina, Taiwo Awoniyi, Alex Iwobi, and Calvin Bassey prepare for crucial matches on Saturday. Their club commitments come after a mixed international break, highlighted by a disappointing World Cup qualifying draw against Zimbabwe.
London rivals Fulham and Crystal Palace will battle for a place in the FA Cup semi-finals in a high-stakes showdown at Craven Cottage. Both teams are yet to win the prestigious trophy and see this as a golden opportunity.
Fulham enters the match with confidence after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Manchester United in the previous round, where Bassey’s goal forced extra time. The team has won six of its last eight matches, including a 2-0 victory over Tottenham. However, they face a challenging statistic—no back-to-back home wins in all competitions this season.
Iwobi and Bassey are expected to play key roles. Iwobi has been in fine form, scoring seven goals and providing four assists in 29 Premier League games. Bassey, meanwhile, has made 28 league appearances, contributing one goal.
History favors Palace in this fixture, with the Eagles unbeaten in their last six away games against Fulham. Fulham, on the other hand, has not progressed past the quarter-finals since 2002, while Palace has advanced in four of their last five attempts at this stage.
In another quarter-final clash, Nottingham Forest’s Aina and Awoniyi will take on Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium. Sitting third in the Premier League, Forest will rely on Awoniyi to spearhead their attack, especially with manager Nuno Espirito Santo considering resting top scorer Chris Wood due to injury concerns.
Aina, who has played 29 matches this season with two goals and an assist, will be crucial in shoring up Forest’s defense against Brighton’s attacking threat.
With Nigerian players poised to play pivotal roles, both matches promise high drama as the race for FA Cup glory continues.
